The SilverSneakers® Program for Seniors

SilverSneakers Program

SilverSneakers ProgramOurSeniors.net sees its mission as serving the needs of seniors in any way possible. This includes the challenges of senior living and also the opportunities available in a modern senior lifestyle. The Medicare 2019 Open Enrollment period may be one of those opportunities, so do not let it slip by!
Numerous OurSeniors.net articles have called attention to the fact that healthy exercise is an essential part of the senior lifestyle. There is no doubt that physical activity and exercise is a benefit, helping to stave off cardiovascular disease, diabetes, depression, weight gain, improving arthritis-related pain and maintaining strength and balance. But getting enough of the right kind of exercise has not always been easy for seniors.  Here is a possible solution, the SilverSneakers® Program.
The SilverSneakers® Program is a free benefit that is included in some types of Medicare insurance plans. SilverSneakers® is the nation’s leading exercise and social support program for seniors, and it is available free to millions of Medicare beneficiaries. Through its more than 15,000 partner locations in the United States, SilverSneakers® offers senior fitness classes for all abilities led by its SilverSneakers® trained instructors.  SilverSneakers® is an exercise program specifically designed for our seniors, with the goal of keeping them engaged and interested through enjoyable fitness activities. SilverSneakers® aims to encourage seniors to stay healthy in the long run by engaging in a proven program that includes specific exercises for building endurance, improving balance and other senior-specific areas.
Since 2004, the program has been offered to Humana Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement members, a total of more than three million Humana Medicare members nationwide.  In 2013 Humana surveyed members who participated in the program and found that 59 percent of the Humana SilverSneakers®  participants reported that their health was excellent or very good. This is more than twice the national average of 29 percent for seniors in general as reported by a Medicare survey. A big majority (more than 80 percent) of those seniors reported that they got an average of 30 minutes or more of moderate physical activity at least three days per week, and more than 60 percent of the SilverSneakers® group reported that their health did not limit their senior lifestyle or moderate activity. Humana, the insurance giant, was so impressed by the results that in 2015, it extended its relationship with the SilverSneakers® Fitness Program through 2020.
The SilverSneakers® fitness program includes access to several perks. General membership includes:

  • Access to all participating locations and core services
  • Program Advisors who serve as informational guides
  • An online resource for members to monitor fitness progression, track health-related current events, obtain nutritious recipes, watch exercise videos, and more
  • Seminars and special events related to health and fitness
  • “SilverSneakers® Steps” for members who don’t live near a fitness facility

Here is the great part for OurSeniors.net readers! One of the partners in the OurSeniors.net Approved Vendor Program is the Humana Daytona Beach office. Seniors can call the office at 386-200-4191 to get full information about the many choices open to them. Another Approved Vendor partner is the Volusia YMCA organization. The Ormond Beach Family YMCA is Hosting a SilverSneakers® Open House on Friday, November 16 at 10 AM. You can get information about this event by calling the Ormond Beach “Y” at 386-673-9622.
Approved Services & VendorsFor help with any senior-related need, opportunity or challenge, you can contact an OurSeniors.net Advisor by phone at 866-333-2657 (se habla Español), or by using Contact Us. Check out our website at Ourseniors.net and take an online look at our senior living magazine, OurSeniors.net Magazine by clicking its link. You can view the entire OurSeniors.net Directory of Approved Vendors by just clicking its link, and look for our seal of approval at more and more locations.

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